Friday 11/09 A.M. Quickie:Weekend Picks, MLB Stove, NBA, More!

College Preview and Picks: BCS Watch: Kansas faces its toughest test yet of the season (not saying much, given KU's schedule) when it visits OklahomaState. Meanwhile, LSU does nothing to help its strength of schedule when it plays Louisiana Tech, and Oregon plays mighty "Idle." Could a strong win by Kansas at OK St put the Jayhawks in the No. 2 spot?

Michigan needs to win at Wisconsin to deliver next week's latest Game of the Year, in Ann Arbor vs. OhioState (note how I have no doubt OSU will beat Illinois?)...

And for those of us desperately hoping for a bank-shot that allows Florida to back into the SEC East title, there are three games to watch: UF at Ol Ball Coach, Auburn at Georgia and Arkansas at Tennessee; we Gators fans need a three-road-win parlay -- no easy feat.

The Picks:1 Ohio State over Illinois2 LSU over LA Tech (BCS-points killer)4 Kansas over OklahomaState (Game of the Week)5 Oklahoma over Baylor6 Missouri over Texas A&M8 BC over Maryland9 Arizona State over UCLA19 Auburn over 10 Georgia (SEC's 2nd Best Bowl?)11 VA Tech over FloridaState12 Michigan over WisconsinCincinnati over 13 UConn (Intrigue Game of the Week)14 Texas over Texas Tech15 Florida over South Carolina (Rivalry Game of Week)16 Hawaii over FresnoState17 USC over Cal (Woulda-Coulda Bowl)Miami over 19 Virginia20 Boise State over UtahState21 Clemson over WakeForest22 Alabama over MississippiState23 Penn State over TempleArkansas over 24 Tennessee (Heisman Watch Game)25 Kentucky over Vanderbilt

CFB Last Night: West Virginia out-guns Louisville to stay in the hunt for the BCS national-title game (but they are on the outside looking in). I will say that WVU's yellow-on-yellow look was by far the uniform of the year in college football. Something about the yellow jersey and yellow pants under the lights at night. Dazzling.

(Pat White might not be on the Heisman radar anymore, but I'm not sure there's a more mesmerizing player in college football, with the possible exception of Percy Harvin. Meanwhile, Brian Brohm did nothing do hurt his status as the No. 1 QB of next spring's NFL draft – and possibly the No. 1 overall player taken.)

NFL Preview and Picks: This week's Top Storylines. The only thing that can stop the Patriots is... the Bye Week. Next thing you know, Don Shula will be claiming that because the Pats couldn't beat the Bye, they technically didn't go undefeated. But that's because Shula is a senile crank.

The Picks:At Packers over VikingJaguars over at TitansAt Chiefs over BroncosAt Dolphins over BillsAt Saints over RamsAt Steelers over BrownsAt Redskins over EaglesAt Panthers over FalconsAt Ravens over BengalsBears over at RaidersCowboys over at GiantsLions over at CardsColts over at ChargersAt Seahawks over 49ers

Finally, will Clinton Portis' return to characters – "Choo-Choo" the dance instructor – inspire the Redskins for a season-ending run? Let's all hope so. The world needs more Clinton Portis characters.

NBA: David Stern makes a big threat. If Seattle lets the Sonics leave, they won't get a replacement team. Although I have a hard time understanding how if Seattle gets their own Clay Bennett, who buys a team in another town and insists on moving them to Seattle, how he can stop them. Anyway: He's the Commish, and the NBA looks all but dead in Seattle, a once-proud NBA city reduced to irrelevancy.

NBA Last Night: The Mavs beat the Warriors... oh, look at that: It was a game that didn't matter. Where was that win last spring in the playoffs? (I have broken my ban not to talk about the Mavs until after they get out of the first round of the playoffs, because of the natural post-script to last year's playoff debacle that yesterday's win should have reminded all fans of.)

Hey, look at that: The Bulls finally won a game. Maybe they shouldn't be so quick to dangle Tyrus Thomas as trade bait after his best game as a pro: 19 points and 14 rebounds in a win over the rival Pistons (who got 36 from Rasheed). Meanwhile, the Wizards are still winless. Yikes: This is the Worst. Example of the Quickie Curse. Ever.

College Hoops: If UConn is going to rebound from last year's disappointing season, they'll need a huge year from AJ Price. Price had a career-high 24 in last night's win over Buffalo in the 2K8 Tournament.

NASCAR: Sam Hornish joins parade of Indy Car racers to move to NASCAR. Be interesting to see how he does once he makes a full transition. For those of you who recognize that NASCAR numbers define drivers more than any jersey number in any other sport, Hornish will wear No. 77 for Penske and his lead sponsor will be Mobil.

MLB Hot Stove: A-Rod is reportedly going to start meeting with owners of teams courting him. If you were an owner, what would you ask A-Rod? How about: "Would you make your $30 million contingent on our team winning a World Series?"

(Meanwhile, I love the little rumor that GMs are colluding to keep A-Rod's price down. Hell: They should! But, ultimately, they will do what makes the most economic sense for their team, whether that means overpaying or passing. If they all were smart and NO ONE bid on him, the price would naturally come down. One team would come out with a bargain over the others – Prisoner's Dilemma, anyone? – which will eff up the process, but it's interesting. What if they all said: NO THANKS.)

Finally, in the hottest part of the Hot Stove, is Johan Santana on the trading block? If the Yankees could get him, it would be worth trading any of their Big Three young pitching prospects. I would even say TWO of the three. (For Santana? SANTANA?! Totally.)

154 comments:

I do not agree it is worth it for a team like the Yanks to trade for Santana. because if you trade 2 of the 3 you are then left with only 3 starting pitchers, 3! you have a garbage on your backend of your rotation with that trade.

Now the Sox, it is definitely worth it to trade for Santana even if means giving up ellsbury and bucholtz. Now you are adding Santana to a killer rotation.

As for A-Rod. it is becoming more and more likely that he will either get less than the Yanks were offering (smart move by the club to offer him arbitration, win win for them). Or he doesn't sing with anyone until May.

That 3 team road parlay isn't that unlikely, the Road team has won more often than not in the UGA/Auburn series.

The UGA players have asked the fans to 'blackout' the stadium (clothing, not blackout drunk). And rumor is the team is going to show up in black unis. I'll be there in black shirt, black pants and black shoes.

The winner of the game has a good shot at a BCS bid if they win out, so it should be a hell of a game.

I agree on the A-Rod analysis Sparty, but I don't thin it is smart for the Red Sox to trade for Santana. Look at their starting rotation. Wakefield isn't going to be there long and neither is Schilling. I would think this would be getting rid of their heirs.

Yeah, but Dice K, Beckett, Santana, Lester (who i think is just as good as any 4 or 5). That leaves you the 5th spot to fill in 2009. I would take that chance. You basically are left in the same boat if you do not trade for Santana. just replace his name with Bucholtz.

I don't understand why people think that their dislike for A-Rod translates into him not getting a big money deal. I don't much like A-Rod, and I sure don't like Boras, but how often does Boras come up short? Not very often.

Someone will pay A-Rod more than what the Yankees were offering. No doubt about it.

A-Rod is the douchebag. Have we seen or heard him at all during this fiasco? Nope. As much as we all cannot agree with the things Bonds and to some degree Gary Sheffield say, at least I respect that they do not hide behind an agent. A-Rod has been a pussy through this whole thing. All that respect he had finally gained through the media this year had faded away in less than a month.

I think the Red Sox offer to the Twins would be Lester, Bucholtz, Crisp and some minor league prospects (Lowrie, Bowden). Which I would do since if you have a front 3 of Santana, Beckett and Dice-K for the next 3-5 years you can win a lot of playoff series with those 3. And it is very easy to find 4th and 5th starters.

As for A-Rod, I think a smart GM would put together a deal that could make him 30-35 million a year but set the base at 20-25 with incentives for Making the Playoffs, winning MVP, and advancing in the playoffs.

Basically making Alex put his money where his mouth is and making him earn at least a portion for his and the team performance.

Then BorASS can come out a hero and say Alex took a little less to help the team put a championship together and all of Alex's incentives are for the team to win Championships.

cmfost, no way you throw in another MLB ready starter to the twins, for the exact reason I said the Yanks wouldn't give up any combination of there young 3. because if you do that you are forced to find two rotation spots, it would just be delayed for a year for the sox. Your thinking is more and more becoming like the old us (the Evil Empire).

not really Sparty, the difference here is you are not trade for a player that is near the end of there career you are trade for a player int he prime of his career. And while Clay and Jon look good, what do they have a combined 20-25 Major League Starts. I would rather the best left handed pitcher in the game over 2 unproven pitchers. And as I said finding a 4th or 5th starter in 09 should not be a problem.

"And as I said finding a 4th or 5th starter in 09 should not be a problem." are you kidding me? it will become a problem if you become forced to keep feeding your payroll. But hell as a Yank fan, i hope the Sox trade away their young talent. I know where that led us.

and Dan, how can you be so sure about OSU beating the Illini? According to you OSU is not as good as their ranking or record shows. Consistency Dan, where is it? Oh I get it, you are sure because Ron Zook is the coach. I forgot the instant history fan of the Florida Gators.

i didn't say it was the smartest thing for the Sox to do, but they are in position to make that trade if they want. And I didn't know that spelling the last name of a player was that important in here. but from now on his name is bucholtz just because you said something that silly.

However that with standing, i think they are fine either way, if they make the trade or not. but if they do, do not give up two starters.

The Red Sox will be more inclined to make a deal with a couple of its minor league starters who arent in 2008 plans such as Masterson and Bowden to land Salty from Texas to be the catcher of the future.

Santana isn'g going to sign an extension without going on the open market, so if Boston wants him they can make him a crazy offer then. Thats also another reason not to trade away your two best minor leaguers/2008 rookies for him, you could easily lose him after just one season.

You're going after A-Rod for not speaking to the media during this period. The only problem is that I coud pretty much say with 100% certainty that if A-Rod had been speaking out over the last week that all the Yanks fans would be like "Oh wow. Shut up already! Just get your money and go! We don't care what you have to say. You're just out there to make money!"

If you think this wouldn't have been the reaction in NYC you are kidding yourself.

no, i don't think that is the case among Yankee fans. I am not saying that he needs to speak to the media, but at least come face to face with the teams management, which he has yet to do with anyone. Boras is doing it all and that statement that are issued are from Boras, they are not even from A-Rod. this all happens while he hides down in Miami, eating at the Bagel Emporium on the U campus. (i sat behind him and his wife once when i was visiting my sister).

@cmfost: "As for A-Rod, I think a smart GM would put together a deal that could make him 30-35 million a year but set the base at 20-25 with incentives for Making the Playoffs, winning MVP, and advancing in the playoffs."

Woould be a perfect world, but after Schillign's World Series auto-extension incentive after '04, I remember MLB or MLBPA saying that team incentives were unfair in individual contracts.

Yeah, one reason why the GMs shouldn't collude is that its, you know, illegal and all. And if it was found out that they did they'd have to pay a rather hefty penalty, as they did in the early '90s I believe.

The teams interested in A-Rod aren't going to view him through the jaded lens of "you don't get it done in the postseason." These will be teams looking for his name to add credibility, and/or his bat to carry them into the postseason.

That's why they'll be happy to (over)pay for him, and without any of this incentive stuff.

@ cmfost:I'm kinda chiming in on this late - but you say it is easy to find a 4th or 5th starter?

Tell that to Kenny Williams and Ozzie Guillen ... in 2004 (the year before the White Sox won the World Series), The WSox couldnt find a 5th starter. I think they had like 8 pitchers go something like 5-16 ... with an ERA up around 10.

I think it is really absurd that the Minnesota Vikings are docking WR Troy Williamson his pay for last Sunday's missed game due to the death of his grandmother (and subsequent funeral preparations, attendance, etc.).

Hell, the woman helped raised him, he was responsible for service planning and travel arrangements for family. You think the guy gives a damn about his paycheck? And a huge b*tch slap to owner, bazillionaire Zygi Wilf. You wonder why teams like the Vikings continue to disappoint? It's a wonder any player would want to play for ownership like this, as opposed to say, Robert Kraft, who even lends his private jet out to players in need. Gee, I know who I'd want to play for.

And the other topic... Eric Lindros retired from the NHL. For a guy who had an autobiography published before he even stepped foot on NHL ice, he ranks up there with the biggest flops of all-time. This despite averaging over a point per game for his career (a benchmark for NHL elite forwards in my mind).

jingo - i thought it was a real d*ck move by the Vikings. Just classless. But no need to bring up the Pats again (they get enough press). Much reviled (outside of DC) Danny Snyder is always jetting his players around the country for family emergencies and such.

You'd think things like this would matter, but at the end of the day players invariably pick their teams based on (1) money and (2) chance of winning. Aging vets sometimes go for (2) over (1), but 9 times out of 10, it's reason #1 for most players.

Wow, when did Shanoff jump on the "get to act like a douchebag because the patriots are good" bandwagon? Everybody is jumping on Shula, but this is ignoring the fact that the patriots were caught cheating. Even if they didn't need to be doing so, they were still cheating.

The problem with the NFL is that guys earn a whole year's salary to play 16 games. Teams can't start a policy of allowing players to take a week off or 6% of their year every time a grandparent dies. That would be like a regular employee taking 3 weeks off. If they didn't have the time off here at my company, they wouldn't fire them but they wouldn't necessarily pay them either.

That being said, the owner should have picked up funeral expenses or something to that effect to at least show he is not a total asshole.

The problem is that team's have policies and as nice as it seems to change that policy, it starts being abused.

CM, You've lost your mind! Offering all that for Santana? I am personally worried about Johan's long term health.Plus, I think he's lost just a tiny bit of his domination over the past couple of years. Barring injury, Lester and Clay are going to combine for 30 wins next yearCan Johan win 30? Don't think so.

Looking at the Yanks rotation, Wang, Mussina, Hughes, Kennedy, Chamberlain perhaps is not terrible but you are talking three totally green pitchers who will be expected to pitch every 5th game for a 162 game season. Mussina broke down late in the 2007 season.

I don't think I would trade two of the above guys but how about Kennedy and Chase Wright perhaps? Of course Minnesota would probably not go for that but it depends what else it out there on the table.

Yanks need pitching. It would be terrible to see Santana go to the Red Sox (at least for Yankee fans like myself).

can we try and remember that Bucholtz has made what 2 Starts. Yes, One was a no hitter but we have not seen him on the Major League Level for a full season so there is no way to predict what he will do.

I think the West Virginia uniforms would have looked a lot better if they had navy blue socks instead of the white. The white socks kinda ruined it.

No one is forgetting that the Pats were caught cheating but they where punished accordingly and that's the end of it. Shula's comments, especially the timing of them, make him look like a cranky old bastard. And then he immediately reverses his opinion? Please.

Yeah, but mark, Shula IS a cranky old bastard. He's like the grandfather you know will come to the family barbecue and immediately say 5 inappropriate things relating to race, religion, gender, your mom's cooking and the television volume.

though i said it was a possibility for the sox to make the trade, in reality it would not be too smart if they can get him next offseason for nothing (other than the 200 million he will command). The bidding war on him is going to be insane.

I would take the chance that Santana is far better than Kennedy or Wright would ever be. I also think Minnesota wouldn't go for that. I wouldn't give up Chamberlain. Then again, Hughes for Santana would be hard to argue against. The key would be to lock up Santana for a 3+ year extension.

Also Pettite is still not out of the equation. I can't see him retiring yet.

my big fear regarding the Yanks this year is that they will not let these guys throw the innings they need them to. they do not want to tax these guys arms. but one of the big issues the Yanks have had since 2004 is that nobody consistently pitches 7 innings.

Maybe Clay has only had two major league starts. But, I was at his first start, and I can tell you this. He has stuff that is better than 90% of all major league pitchers right now. Maybe 95%. Plus, think of all that money spent on Johan. Clay and Lester will earn less than a million combined next year.

but they got what they wanted, regardless if they are jerks or not. the idea behind an agent may be overblown for stars anyway. Boras does help get guys like a Damon a bigger deal. But look at Gary Sheffield, guy has got the money he wanted w/o an agent for a few years now.

RIP devil rays. It was a great ten years. According to my friends back home they are announcing the change of the teams name to the Rays today. With those beer league softball unis they have for next year we are gonna be the laughingstock of baseball. Oh wait we already are.

Percy Harvin really might be one of the top two or three most electrifying players. Yeah I know that most of y'all hate on my gators but Harvin really is the tits. If we didn't have him we would have lost at least two more games. The guy is a serious gamebreaker. Still I dont think he is heisman worthy just yet not that I know who really should get it this year.

Get Santana for 2 of the Yankee trinity. You'll be lucky if one of those guys approaches Santana territory despite the visions of every Yankee fan seeing those guys turning into Clemens, Halladay and Maddux. So throw in Melky and some other prospects, sign Torii Hunter, Rivera and Posada and make another run at it. Pettite will come back with Johan on board and the staff will be deep enough to put Joba in the pen maybe. The Mets should offer Reyes and some prospects, maybe even Beltran although he might be too expensive for the Twins. Then go sign Arod to play SS. It's arguably the greatest pitcher of his generation in his prime and you have the talent, money and new ballparks to lure him.

speaking of game day attire. the damn Giants want us fans to wear Red to the game on Sunday. Um the Giants primary color is blue, hence the nickname, Big Blue. The players are wearing the ugly alternate red jerseys, so I am sure the team will be happy to sell replicas of that before the game.

no way, the cowboys star is blue. they wear white all the time except when another team wears white at home. using this big game as a marketing ploy, thats all. They should wear the old Giants unis from the Super Bowl championship days.

The Cowboys traditionally do not wear their blue jerseys because of a curse. They lost Super Bowls wearing the Blue Jersey.

On some occasions, opposing teams have chosen to wear their white jerseys at home to try to invoke the curse,[10] such as when the Philadelphia Eagles hosted the Cowboys in the 1980 NFC Championship Game.[11] Although Dallas has made several tweaks to their blue jerseys over the years, Schramm said he did not believe in the curse.[12]

You know, if you can wade through the relentless pop-culture references and the painfully recycled Karate Kid/Madden garbage. He really hits the nail on the head.

"The players keep saying they're taking it one game at a time; I say they're full of crap. They want to join the '72 Dolphins and destroy everyone along the way. Why? Because bleep everybody, that's why."

Great article by Simmons? Please tell me you are joking. IF, and that's a big IF, I were a Patriots fan, I would be ashamed of Simmons. He is the douchebag stereotype that every Patriots fan fits under. He's arrogant, thinks he's special just because he roots for the teams that are hot currently, and overall, just a douchebag. How dare the refs actually call Moss for pushing off like he has done all season, actually all of his career? If "the refs wanted the colts to win", don't you think they could have called something when manning fumbled away the last possession? Don't you think they could have done something to nullify the last first down of the pats?

Pats fans have this stupid ideal that they are being discriminated against, when, really, the league coddled and pulled strings for the team for the last few years. It was always amazing during the last few years how they amazingly got calls their way ALL the time. I don't care if they win the superbowl, I just want them to lose one so douchebags can shut up about them.

At least Dungy rested his team in 2004. Belicheck, if he gets in the same position is still going to try to be running up the score on teams. Here's hoping Brady gets a serious injury in junk time...

You have a valid point. There are times that I wish that Simmons would grow some objectivity and stop whining.

But then I read a post like yours and I take his side. Pulled strings and calls their way for the past few years? While you're at it, please tell me about the poor penguins in Antarctica and the C4 in the Trade Center, Mr. Conspiracy theorist.

You certainly qualify as one of 'everybody' in the 'Eff everybody' category.

i guess bill simmons has entered the "I'm Keith Hernandez" domain he created. I am just surprised the editors let him do this.

We knock Dans homerism a lot, but this is his Blog, he's is own editor so its cool to a degree. But that is ESPN, the WWL? but all it is from him is homersim, i cannot believe the editors let him do that. Dan did refrain on the old Daily Quickie, i wonder if it was on purpose or not.

in Simmons defense, I believe he was "The Boston Sports Guy" before he got picked up by the WWL. That said he is starting to make me sick with all the Boston talk - I used to cheer for the Red Sox some - but between him and some other fans (*cough* cmfost *cough*), now I'd call them a poor man's (or homeless man's) Yankee's.

So...let's see, having the league's easiest schedule the year after winning their first superbowl, not to mention the tuck rule. I don't say anything definitively, and obviously they had to be good to win as they did with or without tampering, but they had some peculiar things go their way. However, everyone sees peculiar things go for the teams they hate the most (don't get me started on the Broncos' chop blocking).

The only real respect I can give Simmons is that he has been a fan of the team for a long time, and is not a bandwagon jumper, like about 90% of red sox and patriots fans you see online.

Patriots fans whining about calls or non-calls is good for a chuckle. Remember a few seasons ago, how they made fun of (or continue to do so to this day, in Simmons' case) the Colts for whining that their receivers were being mugged?

At least the Colts had the decency to lose the game they complained about. Bitching about calls after a win? Yeah, that's the Boston douchebaggery everyone talks about.

I have no problem with Simmons being a Boston sports fan. I find it refreshing to have a journalist openly root for a team. However I really haven't read Simmons in a while and after the first few paragraphs of his article, I still have no desire.

I didn't see the Stallone soccer prisoner of war movie when it first came out and I was in high school nor did any of my friends. YOu know why? Because the plot was insultingly stupid and that is putting it mildly. This guy has watched the movie 25 times, points out the idiocy of the story and still says it is one of teh top 10 sports movies of all time. How can I read the rest of the article and respect anything he says.

I also saw the Karate kid when my high school football coach's 10 year old kid was watching it on video. It was awful. Maybe it was fine for a 10 year old but as a 17 year old, it wasn't even an enjoyable kid movie. Simmons is a fucking pussy who should have had his ass kicked a few more times.

The problem with him is not that he is such a dork. It is that he is such a dork and thinks he is cool because he writes about trips to a casino and sports.

He is one of those people who actually thinks it matters who wins and that somehow he has achieved something if his team wins - another sure sign of being a dickwad.

I think people who have never played sports get more wrapped up in the final outcome than people who have played sports. When you play, you give it your all so you won't second guess yourself and when the event is over, you move on.

I actually like that movie Victory. Sure the plot is retarded as fuck and the acting is bad but the cast was full of world class players. Oh yeah and pele was amazing. That bicycle kick was jaw dropping but then again i was 7 when it came out.

Connect With Me

Quickish

About This Blog

DanShanoff.com is a sports-blog spin-off of my long-time ESPN.com column, "The Daily Quickie." Anchored by an early-morning post of must-know topics, the blog is updated frequently throughout the day with new posts and user comments.